Self-sealing tank to contain gas under pressure



SELF-SEALING TANK TO CONTAIN GAS UNDER PRESSURE Filed Aug. 7, 1951 C. S. GEHRIE Jan. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 111111.-I111!rill 11111111111110 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVEN TOR; ZarZa s ,6? (fekzz'e,

SELF-SEALING TANK TO CONTAIN GAS UNDER PRESSURE Filed Aug. 7, 1951 C. S. GEHRIE Jan. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mi: y f H f Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-SEALING TANK TO CONTAIN GAS UNDER PRESSURE 4 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in tanks for holding a supply of gas under pressure or a compressed liquefied gas; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of tank which is self-sealing against escape of its content, so that the tank and content can be safely transported and safely stored until it is conditioned for use in dispensing its gas content.

This invention therefore has a general object to provide a novel construction of tank having means to automatically seal itself against escape of its gas content until such time as it is unsealed by attachment thereto of a dispensing valve means.

Another object of the invention is to provide the outlet of a tank, containing gas under pressure or a compressed liquefied gas, with a releasable sealing means for automatically closing said outlet, said sealing means being of such character that it will be automatically released when a detachable independent gas dispensing valve means is operatively assembled with the tank outlet.

In a more specific aspect of this invention, a further object thereof is to provide a selfsealing gaseous fuel containing tank for use in a pyrophoric pocket lighter of the type which is supplied with a compressed liquefied gas (such as liquefied butane gas) as its combustible fuel, such e. g. as disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 231,392, wherein the tank is adapted to be detachably mounted within the casing of the lighter subject to replacement by a full tank when its charge of gaseous fuel is exhausted; the self-sealing tank being adapted to receive removable attachment to its outlet of an independent dispensing burner valve, assemblyof which with the tank outlet operates to automatically release and open the novel sealing means by which said tank is otherwise closed.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the invention.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a gas holding tank, according to this invention, in its automatically sealed condition; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view therethrough, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

i Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the gas holding 2 tank of this invention with a dispensing valve assembled therewith, and operative to release and open the tank sealing means; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken on line 44 in Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character [0 indicates a tank which is adapted to be charged with gas under pressure or with a compressed liquefied gas desired to be dispensed therefrom.

The top end of tank I0 is closed by a top wall ll. Suitably secured to said top wall H, to depend therefrom within the interior of the tank, is an endwise open cylindrical housing I2, the lower end portion [3 of thebore M of which is diametrically enlarged, whereby to provide an internal annular stop shoulder l5 upwardly spaced a suitable distance above the lower open extremity of the housing. The upper outer end portion of the housing I2 is provided with an internally screw-threaded section It.

The means for automatically sealing tank ill against escape of its gas content is arranged within the lower end portion of the housing l2. This sealing means comprises an axially movable, downwardly open, hollow thimble I! which is located beneath the stop shoulder l5. The external diameter of this thimble l 'l is greater than the internal diameter of the bore Hi of the housing, but less than that of the enlarged lower end portion l3 of said bore, whereby an annular gas passage I8 is provided intermediate the thimble and the surrounding surface of the bore portion I3. Connected with the upper end of the thimble l1, so as to be unitary therewith, and so as to extend axially upward therefrom into the bore l of housing !2, is a head-piece 19. This head-piece I9 is somewhat smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the housing bore I4, so that, under proper conditions, gas from the tank interior can flow upwardly through said bore around the head-piece. A cross channel 01' slot 20 may be provided in the top of said head-piece whereby to form a gas passage across the same. Said head-piece I9 is provided, above the top end of thimble H, with an external annular channel or groove 2! in which is seated a resilient 0 seal ring 22 adapted to make sealing contact with the surface of the bore M of housing i2 when the thimble i? with the head-piece I9 is upwardly moved to a position in which the top end of thimble i7 abuts the stop shoulder l5 of housing 52, thus preventing outflow escape of the gas content of the tank through the housing E2. The thimble i! with the head-piece E9 is yieldably urged to sealing position, as determined by stopped abutment of the thimble against the stop shoulder I5, by a compression spring 23 which is disposed between the thimble and the bottom of the tank 56, with its upper portion entered in said thimble so as to bear and thrust against the top end of the latter.

It will be obvious that, under the influence of the spring 23 and the pressure of the gas content of the tank It, and in the absence of any counter force, the thimble i? will be upwardly thrust to its abutted relation to the stop shoulder 55 of the housing l2, whereby the seal ring 22 will be brought into and normally maintained in sealing contact with the sides of the housing bore id (see Fig. 2). As a consequence of this, the tank 58 remains sealed against escape or leakage of its gas content, and, as so sealed, may be safely stored, transported, and otherwise handled for commercial distribution; and especially for distribution and commercial handling when designed for use in and as replacement for an empty tank in a pyrophoric pocket lighter.

It will be understood that by entering a suitably constructed gas dispensing valve means in the internally screw-threaded section It of the housing 52, said valve means can be caused to depress the head-piece IS and thimble ll so as to displace the 0 seal ring 22 from sealing engagem nt with the housing bore E l, whereby the gas content of the tank can flow to said dispensing valve means, subject to discharge from the tank under the control of said valve means.

Although the dispensing valve may be varied in structure, whereby to suit the same to particu lar uses to which the tank and its gas content is desired to serve, for the purpose of illustration generally, and in accordance with the more specific object of this invention, a dispensing burner valve for application to the tank, when the latter serves as a fuel supply for a pyrophoric pocket lighter, will now be described; application thereof to the tank ill operating to automatically release the above described initial sealing means. Referring therefore to Figs. 3 and ii, the dispensing burner valve therein shown comprises an externally screw-threaded valve casing which is adapted to be screwed downwardly into the internally screw-threaded section is of the sealing means housing I2. Said valve casing 2d terminates in a smooth surfaced lower end portion 25 adapted to be telescoped into the bore 5 of said housing l2. Said lower end portion 25 of the valve casing is provided with an external annular channel or groove 28 in which is seated a resilient 0 seal ring 2! adapted to sealingly contact the surface of bore i lof housing i2, thus preventing leakage from the tank interior through the joint between the valve casing 26 and the housing l2 after the initial sealing means is released or opened. The valve casing 25 is provided in its upper end portion with an outwardly open, internally screwthreaded shut-oil valve chamber 2%, seated upon the bottom of which is a fixed valve disc 29 having a central gas outlet port 39. Provided in the lower end portion of the valve casing 2 below the valve disc 29, is an axially disposed, internally screw-threaded regulating valve chamber SE of reduced diameter, the bottom of which is provided with a regulating valve port 32 which communicates with the interior of the sealing means housing l2. Threaded into the regulating valve chamber 3i is a regulating valve member 33 having gas passages 34 in communication with and between the interior of the regulating valve chamber 3| and the gas outlet port 30. The regulating valve member 33 is provided at its lower end with a conical or needle valve member 35 which cooperates with the regulating valve port 32. It will be obvious that by shifting the regulating valve member 33 up or down in the regulating valve member 3 i, the conical or needle valve member 35 can be adjusted relative to the regulating valve port 32, whereby to regulate the volume of gas emitted from the tank interior through the gas outlet port 30. Threaded into the shut-off valve chamber 23 of valve casing 24 is a shut-01f valve bushing 36, the lower end of which engages and holds the outlet valve disc 29 in place. Slidably supported within the bore of said bushing 36 is a vertically movable shut off valve 31, the same having an upwardly extending stem 38 of reduced diameter. Eaid stem 38 extends slidably through an opening as in the outer end or head of the bushing 35, so as to project exteriorly upward therefrom. Mounted within the upper interior of the bushing 35, around the shut-ofi valve stem is a sealing gasket (it! supported by a washer ll. The shutoff valve 3? is provided with gas passages 32 leading from the interior of the bushing 36 to a gas discharge passage Q3 which extends axially outward through the shut-ofi valve stem 38. Mounted on the under side of the shut-off valve 3'5 is a resilent valve piece lfil of reduced diameter, which normally engages the valve disc 29 so as to close the gas outlet port 3t. A. compression spring 415 is mounted within the bushing 35 around the shut-off valve stem 38, said spring being operative to thrust downwardly upon the shut-oif valve 3'3, whereby to normally move and yieldably hold the latter in closing relation to the gas outlet port 3%. The outer open end portion of the shut-oil valve stem 33 forms a burner tip 46, to which is secured a diametrically enlarged tip head (ll.

The valve casing 24 of the dispensing burner valve is of such length that, when screwed home into the housing l2 of the tank it), its lower end will abut and thrust downward the head-piece l9 and thimble ll of the initial sealing means against both the tension of spring 23 and the pressure of the gas content of the tank ID. Downward movement of the head-piece I9 carrice with it the 0 seal ring 22, so that the latter is moved out of sealing contact with the bore Id of housing E2, to a position below the stop shoulder 15 and within the diametrically enlarged lower end portion l3 of the housing bore, whereby gas passage space leading from the tank interior is provided between the housing wall and said 0 seal ring 22 (see Fig. 4). It will be obvious that so long as the dispensing burner valve occupies its operative assembled relation to the tank ill, the initial sealing means will remain in released open condition. Immediately, however, the dispensing burner valve is detached from the tank, said initial sealing means will automatically close.

Ordinarily, if the tank H3 is charged with a content of compressed liquefied gas, the interior of the tank is preferably filled with an absorbent material such e. g. as cotton or like fibrous material or a pulverulent material (not shown). In such case, the lower end portion of the thimble l! is preferably formed to provide the same with downwardly directed, sharply pointed prongs d8,

which easily penetrate the absorbent material so that the latter offers no substantial resistance or impedance to downward seal releasing movement of the thimble l1.

When the self-sealing tank of this invention as equipped with a dispensing burner valve such as described (which is operative to release the seal when attached to the tank) is mounted in a pyrophoric pocket lighter, the shut-ofi valve 31 is adapted to be opened and closed under control of actuating means with which the lighter mechanism is provided for such purpose, whereby to dispense the gas content of the tank for ignition at the burner tip as required. When the tank content is exhausted, the tank is removed from the lighter, and the dispensing burner valve is detached from the tank and then applied to the replacement tank.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a compressed gaseous fuel charged tank for replaceable use in a pyrophoric pocket lighter, a detachable independent gas dispensing valve means for said tank, an endwise open cylindrical housing afiixed to the top wall of said tank to depend therefrom into the tank interior, said housing having an upper bore section and a lower bore section of enlarged diameter with an annular seating shoulder therebetween, the mouth of the upper bore section being internally screw-threaded to receive detachable threaded coupling connection of the dispensing valve means with said housing, means for normally sealing the tank against discharge of the gaseous fuel therefrom, said sealing means comprising a downwardly open cylindrical thimble of less diameter than that of the lower bore section of said housing and of greater diameter than the upper bore section of said housing, whereby the upper end of said thimble can normally seat upon said seating shoulder, a headpiece unitary with the upper end of said thimble, and of less diameter than that of the upper bore section of said housing into which it normally projects, and seal ring carried by said head-piece adapted to make sealing contact with the wall surface of said upper bore section of the housing when the thimble is seated on said seating shoulder, and a compression spring to yieldably urge said thimble to seated engagement with said seating shoulder, operative coupled connection of the dispensing valve means in the upper bor section of the housing being adapted to engage and depress said head-piece and thimble against the tension of said spring, whereby to withdraw said 0 seal ring from the upper bore section into the enlarged lower bore section of the housing, and thus to open said sealing means to outflow of gaseous fuel from the tank under control of the dispensing valve means.

2. The combination defined by claim 1, wherein the dispensing valve means possesses a gaseous fuel admission passage, and said head-piece of the sealing means is provided with a gaseous fuel passage for intercommunication between th tank interior and said admission passage of the dispensing valve means when said sealing means is open.

3. The combination defined by claim 1, wherein the dispensing valve means is provided with an 0 seal ring to make sealing contact with the wall surface of the upper bore section of the housing when said dispensing valve means is operatively coupled with said housing.

4. The combination defined by claim 1, wherein the dispensing valve means is provided with an 0 seal ring to make sealing contact with the wall surface of the upper bore section of the housing when said dispensing valve means is operatively coupled with said housing, and wherein the dispensing valve means possesses a gaseous fuel admission passage and said head-piece of the seal-v ing means is provided with a gaseous fuel passage for intercommunication between the tank interior and said admission passage of the dispensing valve means when said sealing means is open.

CHARLES S. GEHRIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,543,920 McCabe Mar. 6, 1951 2,565,872 Melsheimer Aug. 28, 1951 2,579,977 Sjolin Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 923,219 France Feb. 17, 1947 

